Microsoft AI CEO: ‘It’s Smarter to Be 6 Months Behind’ — Here’s Why

Microsoft’s AI chief says trailing the frontier is a smarter strategy. By staying behind OpenAI, Microsoft aims for cost-efficiency and long-term self-sufficiency.

At a time when tech giants are racing to build the most powerful AI models on the planet, Microsoft is choosing a different lane — one that’s a little slower but potentially smarter.

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s CEO of AI, says the company isn’t in a rush to lead the frontier of AI development; instead, it’s intentionally choosing to lag a few months behind leaders like OpenAI. That might sound like a setback, but Suleyman says it’s a strategic move that could give Microsoft an edge.

“It’s cheaper to give a specific answer once you’ve waited for the first three or six months for the frontier to go first. We call that off-frontier,” Suleyman said ...